


(I want us to gerund, essentially.)

by softly (alexenglish)



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Apocalypse, Cat/Human Hybrids, Class Differences, K-I-S-S-I-N-G in a tree, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-21
Updated: 2017-12-21
Packaged: 2019-02-18 04:59:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13092915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alexenglish/pseuds/softly
Summary: I cannot help but notice we are sitting-in-a-tree.  So, you know, maybe we could think of something to do… verb-wise.





	(I want us to gerund, essentially.)

**Author's Note:**

> [a softer world project](http://queerlyalex.tumblr.com/asofterworld)  
>  I don't have an explanation for this.

 

Liam’s comm goes off as the sun starts to set. A short ping that means someone’s sent him a message. It’s probably Harry again, wanting to talk. Liam ignores it in favor of watching the shattered sky outside of the Dome. The deep reds and oranges, and bright yellows and pinks of sunset. The dense chem clouds are high enough to see the Old City on the mountainside -- the skeleton relic of a time before the War. The dying light of the sun glints off the chrome, brighter than Liam’s ever seen it.

According to Zayn, it’s not a good thing that they can see the horizon again. According to Zayn, once the cloud cover is gone, they’re fucked. The protective seal around the Dome isn’t engineered to last with direct exposure to UV.

There’s no way to fix that, not really. So yeah, they’re fucked. If the sun doesn’t get them, some nuke or biological weapon will. Or they’ll be invaded for their resources. Or one of the many dead satellites orbiting Earth will fall through what’s left of their atmo and land on the Dome, cracking it open and killing them all.

But Liam isn’t trying to think about that. He’s not thinking about the impending doom of every race and species and crossbreed left on planet Earth. He’s not thinking about the proposed alliance with the Nation, or what it means for everyone living in the Dome -- full pardon to every citizen still brands them as _traitors_. He’s definitely not thinking about the fact that there’s a crowd of people waiting for him at his home, eager to see him except a position next to his father in military command.

Definitely not thinking about that.

Right now, he’s hiding in a tree at the city’s divided center. Lower District shacks and shanties and tents in front of him, wasteful opulence of the military controlled Upper District behind him. He’s ignoring both in favor of watching the sky.

It’s beautiful. The chem clouds catch sun rays and reflect them dark purple and green and deep blue. Liam holds up his hands and frames the horizon, catching the honeycomb framework of the protective structure left unfinished outside of the Dome. It was supposed to be an expansion, but there weren’t enough resources to complete it.

It looks pretty though. Golden and tall and proud, and a complete waste of the reinforced metals that can exist in the dense, chemically compromised air outside the Dome.

“Found you,” comes a deep voice, right next Liam’s ear.

Liam jerks in surprise, heart jumping up his throat sharply as Harry settles next to him. There’s a whole, entire genetically modified tree branch as wide as a bed for vir to sit on, but Harry’s side is pressed all along his; eyes wide and preternaturally golden, staring at him.

“Christ, wear a bell,” Liam hisses unthinkingly, leaning away a bit. He flushes hotly as soon as he realizes what he said. “Fuck, sorry, I didn’t mean like --”

A dismissive trill makes its way out of Harry’s throat, so Liam shuts up. “I’d wear a bell for you,” Harry says, head tipping onto Liam’s shoulder. The soft, velvety edge of a cat ear tickles Liam’s neck, making his blush so much worse.

Liam hates when Harry talks shit. “No, you wouldn’t,” Liam says firmly, ignoring the way the bottom of his stomach is hot and heavy with the thought. A collar, a bell -- thick leather laying claim.

Liam tries so hard to think of Harry as more than all of that, but sometimes Harry says and does shit that makes Liam _react_. If the way Harry’s purring is anything to go by, Liam’s reaction is pretty obvious.

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Harry asks, shifting. Liam feels the tease of soft fur on the back of his arm as Harry’s tail slides delicately over his skin.

Liam twists to face vir, frown deepening even as he’s met with the deliberately innocent look on Harry’s face. It’s not entirely convincing. Harry’s ear twitches, like ve wants to laugh.

“Harry,” Liam says softly. Harry always does this -- wants Liam to play this game of cat and mouse. _Literally_.

“I can smell it on you,” Harry purrs, looking away, pretending to be shy, eyelashes thick against vir sharp cheekbones. Everything about Harry is so impossibly beautiful. Liam can’t think of anything else when Harry is around. “I know how much you want me.”

“Don’t,” Liam warns, stomach fluttering.

“You’re impossible,” Harry says, rolling vir eyes. There’s a flash of fang as ve sucks vir bottom lip thoughtfully, but it’s unnaturally flat -- must have gotten filed recently. Liam’s stomach squirms uncomfortably.

“ _You’re_ impossible,” Liam says. It’s not his best comeback, but Harry has to know it’s true. Ve complicates things. Liam can’t be distracted, and _yet_. “You’re not even supposed to be in this District right now. Curfew.”

Harry’s chest rumbles. Liam’s never been able to tell if it’s a good noise, or a bad noise, or something else, but he hates Harry’s tone when ve says, “What if I had clients?”

It’s irrational, Liam knows, but anger makes his spine go tight. All he wanted to do was watching the sunset and forget all the shit that’s making him miserable but here's Harry, teasing him.

“I don’t,” Harry says softly, when Liam stays quiet -- what’s he supposed to do? Ask Harry not to turn tricks? Most places don’t hire Hybrids on principle, it’s not like Harry has much of a choice.

“I don’t do that anymore,” Harry continues, hand on Liam’s arm. Vir claws are short and blunt. Liam pets a finger over the scars on the back of vir fingers and hand, the ones from when the clinic doctors cut into the tendons there. Harry was one of those rare Felines with retractable claws. Too dangerous, that. “You know I don’t have to.”

“‘Cause you’re running cons,” Liam says, with a harsh sigh. He drops his hand, but Harry catches it and tangles their fingers together. Liam lets vir.

“Niall misses you,” Harry says, instead of arguing with Liam. Which is fair. They’ve had this conversation before. “Ve was asking about you earlier.”

“Tell vir I said hi,” Liam says flatly. Liam likes Niall, but it’s Niall’s fault Harry’s doing illegal resource trade in the first place.

Niall gets all vir sellable info and tech from Zayn. They're dating, even though no one takes it seriously when Hybrids and humans date. They don’t care. The only reason it really works is because Zayn’s a Brain working Lower District labs. If he were in any other position… Well.

“When're you gunna come around?” Harry asks, claws tracing the inside of Liam’s arm. The chemical burn from the last time he was Outside. The skin’s a bit numb, but the touch still sends a shiver down Liam’s spine. “Zayn wants to talk shop.”

“I can’t,” Liam says. He knows. Half the unread messages in his comm are from Zayn. Liam’s not sure why, if he’s expected to switch sides or inform or something else entirely. He doesn’t really get Niall or Zayn’s motivation for talking to him. He understands Harry -- Harry’s obsessed with Liam the same way Liam’s obsessed with Harry -- everyone else… He doesn’t get it.

Either way, he has to go back. He has to see his family. He has to accept the promotion with a smile on his face. There will be even less of a reason to be seen outside of the Upper District than there is now. Won’t get away with much.

“You can,” Harry says, hint of a growl in vir voice as ve pulls away, lets go of Liam’s hand and stops touching him. “You just _don’t_.”

“I can’t,” Liam argues, throwing his hands up. Harry doesn’t get it. Little anarchist kitty who does whatever the hell ve wants without having to think about it. It’s different. Liam can seriously fuck over everyone in his family if he decides to do things differently.

Harry knows it, too. They’ve had this conversation so many times. “There’s expectations,” Liam continues. His heart isn’t in it, but he feels like he should argue on principle. “I can’t ruin that. If I get caught fucking around in the Lowers --”

“Or seen with Hybrids?” Harry asks, lips pulling back in a sneer. There’s a ruddy red blush on vir cheeks. Liam didn’t mean to upset vir.

“Harry,” he says, pleadingly.

“Sorry,” Harry says, shoulders going soft, losing their tension. “Sorry, I just --”

Ve looks left, right, and down as if they’re not 400 meters above the ground surrounded by leaves. It’s sweet that Harry wants to be careful. Liam is entirely unsurprised when Harry slides onto his lap gracefully, straddling him with powerful thighs.

“It’s the end of world,” Harry says, nudging their faces together. Liam feels vir tail curl around him. “I think you should be able to make a choice.”

“Don’t think we can save it?” Liam asks, chuckling. A purr starts up in Harry’s chest as Liam touches vir, hands on vir hips.

“All signs point to ‘no,’” Harry says. Ve doesn’t sound too upset about it. Harry nuzzles vir nose against Liam’s cheek, mouth pressing against the skin there -- soft and warm. “The Brains go on and on about how the Dome is unsustainable. We’ll run out of resources eventually.”

“You Hybrids will outlive us all,” Liam says. He knows he shouldn’t, but he tilts his head so Harry can kiss at his jaw. Ve’s purring harder now; a low, pleased rumble all through vir.

“I’ll keep you as my pet,” Harry teases, scraping his teeth over Liam’s jaw. Liam lets out a small, pleased noise that Harry echoes. “Put a bell on _you_.”

Liam laughs out loud, ignoring the way his chest aches. “You wish,” he scoffs, reaching up and tugs on one of Harry’s ears, making vir squeak cutely.

“I _do_ ,” Harry says, pulling back to meet his eyes for a long, intense moment. They’ve had this conversation before, too. “Just want to keep you.” Harry cups his jaw, soft and careful, and ve says, “Don’t overthink it.”

Liam scoffs, throat feeling thick. “It’s all I’m good for,” Liam reassures him.

“Doubtful,” Harry says, whacking at Liam’s hip with vir tail sharply even as vir gently strokes a thumb over his bottom lip. Harry looks at Liam with wide eyes and asks, “Can I kiss you now?”

“S’not a good idea,” Liam says, but he wants it more than anything.

“C’mon,” Harry purrs, voice low and raspy. “We’re up here, hidden from view. Who knows when I’ll see you again. I think I should be able to kiss you.”

They’ve kissed once before, fleeting and desperate, and Harry is right; Liam doesn’t know when he’ll get this again, doesn’t know if he’ll ever get an opportunity as perfect as this. His hands tighten on Harry’s hips, drawing vir closer.

“Fine --”

The word is barely out of Liam’s mouth before Harry is hauling him forward by the lapels of his jacket and pressing their lips together. Liam’s nose knocks against Harry’s before Harry’s head tilts and vir sandpaper tongue licks out, sweeping into Liam’s mouth. Harry’s tail circles around Liam’s back, keeping him close.

“See,” Harry grins as ve breaks their kiss. “You want me.”

“Yeah,” Liam agrees, chasing Harry’s mouth again. Harry laughs against his lips and lets Liam kiss vir, shutting up. It’s all Liam wants. Right now, he’s not thinking about anything else.

**Author's Note:**

> [reblog on tumblr](http://queerlyalex.tumblr.com/post/168799108297/i-want-us-to-gerund-essentially-liamharry)


End file.
